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Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen: Guide to Pesticides in Produce

13 PHOTOS

Tuesday, Apr 19, 2016

For many shoppers, trips to the grocery store come with the following dilemma: buy organic or conventional produce? The latter has higher levels of pesticides​ but an all-organic diet ​is not always affordable or readily available. While a conventionally grown Hass avocado might cost $1.99, an organic Hass avocado can set you back $2.79. There are ways however, to eat healthier, even if you can't fill your grocery basket with organic fruits and veggies.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out the annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, which tells you which conventional produce has the most pesticides (Dirty Dozen: these are better to buy organic) and which have the least (Clean Fifteen: these you can buy conventional). Pesticides can cause cancer, lower IQs in children, and skin and eye irritation, among other issues, studies show. Take a look at the 2016 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce to help you inform your next grocery list.